Digital-audio-signal recording apparatus

ABSTRACT

Audio data are read out, via an ATAPI interface, from an audio CD set in a CD drive. Thus, even where an inexpensive low-speed CPU is used, high-speed copying can be performed. When audio data stored on a hard disk are to be reproduced, and if copying authorization/inhibiting information indicates that coping of the audio data should be inhibited, the audio data are output, via a digital audio interface, with a copying-inhibiting subcode imparted to the data. Further, when the audio data stored on the hard disk are written to a CDR media set in the CD drive, the audio data on the hard disk are erased in correspondence with the writing of the digital audio data to the CDR media. With such a copying restricting feature, it is possible to provide a digital-audio-signal recording apparatus that can be properly used as consumer equipment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to digital-audio-signal recordingapparatus for recording or copying audio data of a CD onto a hard disk.

There are known apparatus which copy audio data of a CD to a hard diskand then write the thus-copied audio data from the hard disk to a CD-Rdisk to create a fresh CD containing the audio data. Some of theapparatus are in actual commercial use today as dedicated equipment, andfunctions similar to those of such apparatus can also be implementedusing a combination of a personal computer and software.

However, it has not been easy for ordinary audiophiles to use personalcomputers for such purposes because the personal computers requiretroublesome manipulations. The commercial-use dedicated equipment, onthe other hand, are relatively easy to manipulate, but could not beproperly used as consumer equipment because they undesirably enabledigital copying of audio data in a chain-like or concatenated fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention toprovide an improved digital-audio-signal recording apparatus which canbe properly used as consumer equipment.

In order to accomplish the above-mentioned, the present inventionprovides a digital-audio-signal recording apparatus which comprises: adisk drive that reads out data stored on a disk-shaped storage medium; ahard disk drive that stores digital audio data, read out from thedisk-shaped storage medium, on a hard disk installed therein; aninterface control section that writes, on the hard disk, the digitalaudio data read out from the disk-shaped storage medium only whencopying authorization/inhibition information, also read out from thedisk-shaped storage medium, indicates that copying of the digital audiodata is permitted or authorized.

The digital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the present inventionexamines the copying authorization/inhibition information of the digitalaudio data read out from the disk-shaped storage medium, and if thecopying authorization/inhibition information indicates that copying ofthe digital audio data is not authorized, i.e. should be inhibited, therecording apparatus does not write the digital audio data on theinternal hard disk. Such arrangements can effectively inhibit a chain(concatenation) of digital copying (chain-like digital copying), andthus allow a recording apparatus, such a hard disk recorder, to beproperly used as consumer equipment.

The digital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the present inventionmay include a bus interface so that an operation for writing, on thehard disk, the digital audio data read out from the disk-shaped storagemedium and an operation for extracting the copyingauthorization/inhibition information can be performed via the businterface. In the digital-audio-signal recording apparatus of thepresent invention, the hard disk drive may store audio data of trackscorresponding to a plurality of the disk-shaped storage media, so thatthe interface control section reproductively outputs the digital audiodata of the tracks from the hard disk. The digital-audio-signalrecording apparatus may further comprise a music-piece-selection controlsection that selects a desired track from among the tracks correspondingto the plurality of the disk-shaped storage media and designates theselected desired track as a track to be reproduced via the interfacecontrol section. Further, in the digital-audio-signal recordingapparatus of the invention, the music-piece-selection control sectionmay include a section that stores, as an album, a listing of tracksselected from among the tracks corresponding to the plurality of thedisk-shaped storage media.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda digital-audio-signal recording apparatus which comprises: a hard diskdrive that has a hard disk storing digital audio data; a write sectionthat writes digital audio data on a disk-shaped storage medium; aninterface control section that causes the write section to write thedigital audio data, stored on the hard disk, to the disk-shaped storagemedium and also erases the digital audio data from the hard disk incorrespondence with the audio data writing to the disk-shaped storagemedium.

When the digital audio data stored on the hard disk have been written tothe disk-shaped storage medium, which is another storage means in thedigital-audio-signal recording apparatus, the recording apparatus erasesthe digital audio data from the hard disk in correspondence with theaudio data writing to the disk shaped storage medium. Thus, even wherethe digital audio data on the hard disk are a copy of audio data fromanother source, the audio data writing to the disk-shaped storage mediumnever constitutes chain-like digital copying but just a so-called“transfer of data” from the hard disk to the disk-shaped storage medium.Accordingly, the inventive arrangements allow a recording apparatus,such a hard disk recorder, to be properly used as consumer equipment.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a digital-audio-signal recording apparatus which comprises: ahard disk drive that has a hard disk storing digital audio data andsubcode information; a write section that writes data on a disk-shapedstorage medium; an interface control section that reads out the digitalaudio data and subcode information from the hard disk and edits theread-out digital audio data and subcode information into a CD-DA format,so as to supply the edited digital audio data and subcode information tothe write section. In this digital-audio-signal recording apparatus, thedigital audio data and subcode information, stored as subcodes on anaudio CD, are separately stored in advance on the hard disk, and whenthe digital audio data and subcode information are to be written to thedisk-shaped storage medium, the digital audio data and subcodeinformation are first edited into the CD-DA format and then supplied tothe disk-shaped storage medium. Such arrangements permit copying orcreation of a music CD containing textual information and the like.

With the above-mentioned arrangement that the operation for writing, onthe hard disk, the digital audio data read out from the disk-shapedstorage medium and the operation for extracting the copyingauthorization/inhibition information are performed via the bus interfacewithout intervention of a CPU, the present invention can significantlylessen the loads on the CPU, so that even where an inexpensive low-speedCPU is used, the present invention permits efficient high-speed copying.As a consequence, the present invention can provide inexpensiveconsumer-oriented recording equipment. Further, with the hard diskcapable of storing tracks (music pieces) corresponding to a plurality ofaudio CDs, the present invention allows any desired ones of the tracksto be freely combined and reproduced. As a result, thedigital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the present invention canoperate as an extremely-high-speed CD changer which requires little timefor CD replacement.

It should be appreciated that the disk-shaped storage medium used in thepresent invention may be any one of various storage disks, such as a CD,DVD and MD.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For better understanding of the object and other features of the presentinvention, its preferred embodiments will be described hereinbelow ingreater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary general setup of adigital-audio-signal recording apparatus in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of an operation panel of the digital-audio-signalrecording apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing general construction of a frame based on theCD-DA standard;

FIG. 4 A is a diagram explanatory of a file management scheme employedin the digital-audio-signal recording apparatus, and FIG. 4B is adiagram showing a file management information table for managingindividual audio data files (tracks) stored under a disk directory;

FIG. 5 is a diagram explanatory of details of the file managementinformation table and a manner in which the table is rewritten;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operational sequence of anextraction mode process performed in the digital-audio-signal recordingapparatus;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operational sequence of areproduction mode process performed in the digital-audio-signalrecording apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an exemplary sequence of operationsperformed by a controller in the reproduction mode;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operational sequence of aprocess performed in the digital-audio-signal recording apparatus forcreating an album; and

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operational sequence of awrite mode process performed in the digital-audio-signal recordingapparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following will describe a digital-audio-signal recording apparatusin accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, but it shouldbe appreciated that the present invention is not limited to thedescribed embodiment and various modifications of the invention arepossible without departing from the basic principles. The scope of thepresent invention is therefore to be determined solely by the appendedclaims.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exemplary general setup of thedigital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the present invention, inwhich a controller 2 includes an ATAPI (acronym for At bus AttachmentPacket Interface) interface 20, a subcode detection section 21, adigital audio interface 22, and an analog audio interface 23. To thecontroller 2 (ATAPI interface 20) are connected, via an ATAPI bus 11, aCD drive 4 and a hard disk drive (hereinafter simply referred to as a“hard disk”) 5. Further, a FIFO memory 3 and a CPU 1 are connected tothe controller 2 (ATAPI interface 20) via a memory bus 12 and a CPU bus10, respectively. ROM 6 and a RAM 7, in addition to the controller 2,are connected to the CPU bus 10, and a user interface 8 is connected tothe CPU 1.

The digital audio interface 22 of the controller 2 has input terminalsfor optical fibers and coaxial cable and output terminals for opticalfibers and coaxial cable. The analog audio interface 23 has an A/Dconverter (ADC) 25 for converting each input analog signal into digitalrepresentation, and a D/A converter (DAC) 24 for converting each digitaldata to be output into analog representation. The subcode detectionsection 21 separates or extracts subcode information from data of theCD-DA (Compact Disk-Digital Audio) standard read out from a CD(hereinafter referred to as an “audio CD”) that is a disk-shaped storagemedium, and decodes the thus-extracted subcode information so as to reada track number, copying authorization/inhibition information, etc. Thesubcode detection section 21 includes a buffer for temporarily storingthe subcode information and transfers the subcode information from thebuffer to the hard disk 5 and CPU 1.

The CPU 1, which controls all operations in the recording apparatus,gives the controller 2 instructions as to which predetermined data areto be read from and which predetermined data are to be output to. Also,the CPU 1 manages files stored on the hard disk 5. The file managementis performed by the CPU 1 on the basis of a file management informationtable (see FIG. 5) stored on the same hard disk 5.

The user interface 8 includes a group of operators (operating members)and a display section provided on an operation panel shown in FIG. 2.The group of operators includes switches, such as a play button and stopbutton similar to those of a conventional CD player, a multi-functionaljog dial operable for selecting a desired disk and track, and so on. Thedisplay section visually displays a selected or currently-reproducedtrack number and the like. In the embodiment described here, the tracksand music pieces correspond to each other in a one-to-one relation andthus the terms “track” and “music piece” are used interchangeably.

The CD drive 4 is a so-called “CD-RW” drive that can not only read audiodata from an audio CD set therein but also write desired audio data ontoa write-once CD-R disk or rewritable CD-RW disk. Hereinafter, such CD-Rand CD-RW disks will be generically called CDR disks for convenience ofdescription. The hard disk 5 used here has a storage capacity of about20 GB and is capable of cumulatively storing data of 30-40 audio CDs;however, the storage capacity of the hard disk 5 is not necessarily solimited.

Now, with reference to FIG. 3, a description will be made about theCD-DA (Compact Disk-Digital Audio) standard that concerns a storageformat of the audio CD. According to the CD-DA standard, audio signalsare converted into digital data by a two-channel 16-bit quantizationscheme at a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz, and the resulting sampledata are formed into frames with every six samples imparted with CIRC(Cross-Interleaved Reed-Solomon Code) parity. Namely, 32 symbols withCIRC parity added thereto form one frame, which correspond to sixsamples. Therefore, the repetition cycle of the frame is 7.35 kHz(sampling frequency 44.1 kHz÷6=7.35 kHz). Each frame is also impartedwith a 24-bit synchronization signal, 1-byte subcode information, etc.Thus, each frame is composed of 588 bits in total. The audio datarecorded on an audio CD are the results of such frame data having beenCIRC-encoded and then EFM-modulated.

The above-mentioned subcode information is additional informationintended for efficient music reproduction from the audio CD, and itincludes not only data indicative of a unique number, index, playingtime etc. of the music piece in question but also textual, graphicaldata, etc. Data of one byte can be included in each frame (7.35 kHz);however, because a variety of pieces of information are inserted asnoted above, a subcode frame is formed across 98 frames so that oneindependent unit of subcode information is composed of by 98 bytes.These 98 frames are called a “sector”. Therefore, the repetition cycleof the sector (subcode frame) is 7.35 kHz/98 (=75 Hz). Individual bitsadded as the one-byte subcode information to the individual framesamount to 98 bits in each sector, and are called a P channel, Q channel,R channel, S channel, T channel, U channel, V channel and W channel.Information of different contents is written in each of these channels.In the Q channel, there are written the total number of the tracks(i.e., music pieces), track numbers (music piece numbers), timeinformation, copyright control signal, etc.

The operations for reading out and demodulating data from the audio CD,having the data stored in the above-described format, are performed bythe CD drive 4, which transmits the demodulated data to the controller 2via the ATAPI bus. The controller 2 extracts the subcode signal of everyframe from the data read out from the CD drive 4 and transmitted via theATAPI bus and creates subcode information from the thus-extractedsubcode signals. When data are to be copied or transferred from the harddisk 5 to the CD drive 4, the controller 2 also performs an operationfor outputting the stored audio data and subcode information to the CDdrive 4. For example, the controller 2 comprises a dedicated LSI.

More specifically, the controller 2 reads out data from an audio CD setin the CD drive 4, writes data onto a CDR set in the the controller 2carries out an extraction mode process, reproduction mode process andwrite mode process, as will be extracting the audio data from the audioCD set in the CD drive 4 and storing the extracted audio data on thehard disk 5. The reproduction mode process is a process for reading outaudio data stored on the audio CD set in the CD drive 4 or on the harddisk 5 and then outputting the thus read-out audio data via the digitalinterface 22 or analog audio interface 23. Further, the write modeprocess is a process for writing or copying audio data, stored on thehard disk 5, to the CDR disk set in the CD drive 4 and also erasing theoriginal data on the hard disk 5 in corresponding with the data writingto the CDR disk.

In each of the extraction mode process, reproduction mode process andwrite mode process, the FIFO memory 3 is used as a buffer for allowingthe data processing to be performed smoothly in the recording apparatus.The FIFO memory may comprise either a dedicated FIFO memory device or aconventional RAM. In the latter case, a FIFO area is allocated in theRAM, and write and readout addresses may be additively stored in theleading address of the FIFO area.

The digital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the present invention isdesigned for consumer use, and thus has a copying restricting functionbased on the principles of the SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) thatinhibits unlimited copying of digital audio data. The SCMS operates asfollows in each of the extraction mode process, reproduction modeprocess and write mode process.

In the extraction mode, the process is performed for digitally copyingaudio data, read out from the audio CD, onto the hard disk 5. When acopying inhibiting code is written in the subcode information havingbeen decoded after extraction from the readout audio data (frame data),copying of the audio data (track) is inhibited in the extraction mode.According to the SCMS, a copying inhibiting code is written into thesubcode information of the audio data digitally copied from the originalCD, so as to prevent re-copying (second-generation copying) of the audiodata. Even when the subcode information of the read-out audio dataindicates “copying permitted”, not only the audio data are written tothe hard disk 5 but also a copying inhibiting code is written into filemanagement information of the audio data. This is because a re-copy(second-generation copy) of the audio data would be produced if thecopying of the audio data is permitted. Therefore, the audio data storedon the hard disk 5 are allowed to be written (copied or moved) toanother storage medium, such as a CDR disk, only on condition that theaudio data are erased from the hard disk 5 in correspondence with theaudio data writing to the other storage medium.

In the reproduction mode, the process is performed for reading out audiodata stored on the audio CD or hard disk 5 (i.e., audio data copied fromthe original audio CD) and then outputting the thus read-out audio datavia the audio interface. When a copying inhibiting code is written inthe subcode information having been decoded after extraction from theread-out audio data, the SCMS outputs the audio data via the analogaudio interface 23, and also outputs, via the digital audio interface22, the audio data with a copying inhibiting subcode imparted thereto,so as to inhibit any external equipment from digital storage of theaudio data. In the event that the subcode information of the read-outaudio data indicates “copying permitted”, the SCMS outputs the audiodata via the analog audio interface 23, and also outputs the audio data,via the digital audio interface 22, with a copying permitting subcodeimparted thereto.

In the write mode, the process is performed for writing audio datastored on the hard disk 5 to the CDR disk set in the CD drive 4. Whenthe file management information of the audio data to be writtenindicates “copying inhibited”, the SCMS writes the data onto the CDRdisk and also erases the audio data from the hard disk 5 incorrespondence with the audio data writing to the CDR disk, in a mannerdescribed later. Further, when audio data input from the audio CD set inthe CD drive 4 or input via the digital audio interface 22 have beenstored, the file management information of such audio data is set toindicate “copying inhibited”. Furthermore, when audio data input via theanalog audio interface 23 have been stored, the file managementinformation of such audio data is set to indicate that onlyfirst-generation copying is permitted. Namely, whereas production of afirst-generation copy from the original is permitted, production of asecond-generation copy, which a re-copy from the first-generation copy,is not permitted. The foregoing are operations based on the SCMSstandard.

When audio data are read out from the audio CD, the subcode detectionsection 21 extracts the subcodes from the read-out data, decodes eachextracted subcode, and passes the decoded subcode to the CPU 1. The CPU1 sends, back to the controller 2, a signal authorizing/inhibiting thedata write and output operations, on the basis of copyingauthorization/inhibition information included in the subcode. Further,at the time of the audio data reproduction (output), the CPU 1 displays,on the display section, the track number and time information includedin the subcode information.

FIG. 4A is a diagram explanatory of a file management scheme employed inthe digital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the present invention.When audio data are to be copied from the audio CD in the extractionmode, a disk directory is created for the audio CD in question; namely,one disk directory is created for each audio CD (Disc 1, 2, 3, . . . ).Then, audio data files (Track 1, 2, 3, . . . ) extracted from the audioCD are created under the disk directory. Desired track (music piece) canbe designated (selected) by the user designating a combination of thedisk number and track number.

The user can also create an album for reproducing (or writing, onto aCDR,) a freely selected combination of the audio data files stored underthe disk directory. Although FIG. 4A shows each album as having adirectory structure similarly to the disks, the album is, in practice, alisting of data specifying a plurality of the audio files (tracks)stored under the disk directory.

When a desired disk or album is designated in the normal reproductionmode, the reproduction mode process sequentially reproduces the trackscontained in the disk or album (i.e., the tracks stored under the diskdirectory or specified by the listing of the album), after which theprocess is brought to en end. Only one music piece can be reproduced, ora plurality of disks or albums can be successively reproduced in thisreproduction mode, as desired by the user.

FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a file management information table formanaging the individual audio data files (tracks) stored under the diskdirectory. In the figure, there is shown only a record corresponding toone audio data file. The file management information table stores, foreach of the audio data files, information identifying the file (such asthe disk number Dm and track number Tn of the file), file validityinformation, erasure state flag, copying authorization/inhibitioninformation, and subcode information. The file validity information isinformation that determines presence/absence of the file (Dm and Tn);namely, if the file validity information indicates “non-valid”, the filein question is disconnected to assume an erased state so that readout ofthe file is disabled. In other words, the file validity information isinformation of a control program level like FAT (File Allocation Table)information of a DOS (Disk Operating System). The erasure state flag isa flag used, in an audio data transfer (move) from the hard disk 5 tothe CDR disk, in such a manner that only data readout for acurrently-performed data transfer is allowed and the file is treated as“erased” in response to any other accesses. The copyingauthorization/inhibition information is a code indicating whether or notthe digital copying of the audio data is permitted. The subcodeinformation is generally the same as the one contained in the audio CDand includes data indicative of the tile and the like of the music piecein question.

FIG. 5 is a diagram explanatory of a series of steps for managing thefile management information when an audio data file (track) inhibitedfrom being copied is to be transferred from a transferred-from storagemedium (source) to a transferred-to storage medium (destination). Beforeinitiation of the transfer process, the file validity informationindicates “valid” and the erasure state flag is in reset conditionindicating that there are data in the transferred-from storage medium.Once the transfer process is started, the erasure state flag is set toindicate an erased state, so that the actual data portion (audio data)and subcode information are transferred and written to the predetermineddestination (e.g., CDR disk). Then, when the writing of the audio dataand subcode information has been completed properly, the file managementinformation (file validity information) of the predetermined destinationis set to indicate “valid”.

After that, the file validity information is set to indicate“non-valid”, and the audio data file is erased from the hard disk 5.

By keeping the erasure state flag in the rest condition prior to thetransfer process and then setting the file validity information toindicate “non-valid” after the transfer process as noted above, it ispossible to disable any access to the actual data portion, other thanthe access for the data transfer purpose, without placing the actualdata portion in the erased state. Thus, even when an unexpectedaccident, such as power failure or shutdown, has occurred the instantthe data transfer to the destination is completed, it is possible toreliably avoid a situation against the SCMS standard that the sameactual data portion is left in both the destination storage medium andthe source storage medium (hard disk 5).

FIGS. 6-10 are flow charts showing behavior of the digital-audio-signalrecording apparatus in accordance with the embodiment of the presentinvention. Specifically, FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing an exemplaryoperational sequence of the extraction mode process for extracting audiodata from an audio CD set in the CD drive 4 and storing the extractedaudio data on the hard disk 5. More specifically, the flow chart of FIG.6 shows behavior of the CPU 1 and controller 2. When an audio CD is setby the user in the CD drive 4 at step s1, a new disk directory for thethus-set audio CD is generated at step s2, and track numbers aresequentially generated, at step s3, starting with track number 1. Then,a management information record corresponding to the tracks is generatedon the file management information table at step s4. These steps s1-s4are carried out by the CPU 1. Then, data are read out from the audio CDat step s5, and the subcodes are separated from the read-out data andbuffered at step s6. These steps s5 and s6 are carried out by thecontroller 2.

Once the leading audio data (frame data) of the track have been readout, a process shown in section (B) of FIG. 6 is carried out. Namely,the controller 2 checks the subcode information separated from the framedata at step s11 and determines whether copying of the data is permittedor not. If copying of the data is permitted as determined at step s12,the process of section (B) is continued, but if copying of the data isinhibited, further processing on the track is skipped at step s13, andcontrol goes to step s10 as denoted at {circle around (1)}.

When the audio data extraction is to be executed, the main body of theaudio data (actual data portion) is written to the hard disk 5 by way ofthe FIFO memory 3, at step s7. The audio data become an audio file ofthe track number generated at step s3 above. Then, necessary subcodeinformation is stored in the file management information table at steps8. Then, the operations at and after step s5 are repeated untilprocessing on this track is completed. When the processing on the trackhas been completed and if there is a next track to be processes on theaudio CD, a track number representing the next track is generated underthe disk directory at step s3, and the operations after step s3 arerepeated for the next track. Once the above-described processing hasbeen completed for all the tracks on the audio CD (step s9), theextraction mode process is brought to an end.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an exemplary sequence of operationsperformed by the CPU 1 in the reproduction mode for reproducing audiodata stored on the hard disk 5. Once the reproduction mode has been set,track 1 of disk 1 is first set as a default selected music piece at steps20. Then, the following operations are carried out in response touser's playing operation, stopping operation and track selectingoperation of steps s21-s24.

Namely, when the playing operation is performed, such as by the useractivating the play button, as determined at step s21, audio datareproduction of a currently-set track is initiated at step s25. When thestopping operation is performed, such as by the user activating the stopbutton, as determined at step s22, audio data reproduction beingexecuted is terminated at step s26.

Further, when a particular disk or album is selected by manipulation, bythe user, of the multi-functional jog dial as determined at step s23,the number of the selected disk or album is set as a selected disk atstep s27, and track 1 of the disk or album is set as a default selectedmusic piece at step s28. If any other track is being currentlyreproduced as determined at step s29, the currently-reproduced track iscanceled so as to reproduce the selected track at step s30.

Further, when a particular track is selected by manipulation, by theuser, of the multi-functional jog dial as determined at step s24, thenumber of the selected track is set as a default selected music piece atstep s31. If any other track is being currently reproduced as determinedat step s29, the currently-reproduced track is canceled so as toreproduce the selected track at step s30.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an exemplary sequence of operationsperformed by the controller 2 in the reproduction mode. Once audio datareproduction is instructed by the CPU 1, the controller 2 reads outaudio data of a designated track from the hard disk 5 at step s40 andoutputs the read-out audio data to the audio interface at step s41. Thedata readout of this file is continued until the reproduction of thetrack is completed (step s42). Upon completion of the reproduction ofthe track, a next track to be processed is selected and the foregoingoperations are repeated for the next track. The reproduction modeprocess is brought to an end when it is determined at step s43 that thereproduction has been completed for all the tracks of the selected diskor album.

Namely, the normal reproduction mode process is performed on adisk-by-disk or album-by-album basis and then brought to an end afterthe last music piece (track) of the selected disk or album has beenreproduced. Other reproduction processes than the normal reproductionmode process are also possible, such as one for reproducing a pluralityof disks or albums in succession and one for reproducing only onedesignated music piece.

In section (B) of FIG. 8, there is shown a flow chart of operations,performed at the start of data readout of a given track, for controllingoutputs to the audio interface. First, the file management informationcorresponding to the given track is read out at step s45, and contentsof the copying authorization/inhibition information are examined at steps46. If the copying authorization/inhibition information indicates thatcopying of the track is permitted or authorized, the audio data areoutput to the digital audio interface 22 with copying-permitted subcodeinformation imparted to the audio data, and the audio data are alsooutput to the analog audio interface 23 (step s47). If, on the otherhand, the copying authorization/inhibition information indicates thatcopying of the track is inhibited, the audio data are output to thedigital audio interface 22 with copying-inhibiting subcode informationimparted to the audio data, and the audio data are also output to theanalog audio interface 23 (step s48). Such arrangements can reliablyprevent digital output of any track that should be absolutely inhibitedfrom being copied.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operational sequence of aprocess for creating an album. As previously noted, the album is alisting of tracks that allows the user to reproduce a freely selectedcombination of various tracks as if the combination is stored on onedisk. Namely, once an album creation mode is set, a unique number of thealbum to be currently created is generated at step s51; if the album isthe first one to be created, album number 1 may be generated. Then, avalue “1” is set as variable i indicative of a track number in thealbum, at step s52. After that, the following operations are carried outin response to user's disk selecting operation, track selectingoperation, music-piece selecting operation and album-creation endingoperation. Namely, when a particular disk or album is selected bymanipulation, by the user, of the multi-functional jog dial asdetermined at step s53, a selected disk number is set at step s57, andtrack 1 of the disk is set as a default selected music piece at steps58. Further, when a particular track is selected by manipulation, bythe user, of the multi-functional jog dial as determined at step s54,the selected particular track of the currently-selected disk is set as aselected music piece at step s59.

Then, once music-piece selecting operation is performed, such as byactivating the music-piece selecting button, as determined at step s55,the track currently selected as the selected music piece is stored asthe variable i at step s61 (see FIG. 4). After that, a value “1” isadded to the variable i in preparation for selection of a next musicpiece, at step s62. Further, when album-creation ending operation isperformed by the user, the album creation process is brought to an end.

Although the album creation process has been described as creating a newalbum, it is assumed here that contents of an already created album canalso be modified by designation of the album number and track number.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operational sequence of thewrite mode process, which is a data transfer process for writing audiodata of a disk or album to a CDR disk set in the CD drive 4 and, afterthe writing to the CDR disk, erasing the corresponding data stored onthe hard disk 5.

In the write mode, the user first designates the number of the disk oralbum to be written onto the CDR disk, at step s70. Then, the leadingtrack number of the disk or album is informed to the controller 2 atstep s71, and the erasure state flag in the file management informationtable corresponding to the leading track is set to indicate an erasedstate at step s72. After that, the audio data and subcode informationare read out from the hard disk 5 at steps s73 and s74. The thusread-out audio data and subcode information are edited or modulated intothe CD writing format at step s75, and then written onto the CDR disk atstep s76. Note that the operations s73 and s74 are carried out by thecontroller 2 and the operations s75 and s76 are carried out bycooperation between the controller 2 and the CD drive 4. When thewriting is completed for the track as determined at step s77, the filevalidity information, contained in the file management informationcorresponding to the track on the hard disk 5, is set to indicate“non-valid” meaning that the data of the track on the hard disk 5 havebeen completely erased. Such arrangements can prevent further(second-generation) copying (i.e., re-copying) of the audio data copiedfrom the CD to the hard disk 5, to thereby eliminate a possibility ofunfair copying against the SCMS standard.

The foregoing operations are carried out in the increasing order oftrack numbers on the selected disk or album. Once the write operationshave been completed for all the tracks on the selected disk or album asdetermined at step s79, a predetermined finalizing operation isperformed at step s80 for allowing the thus-written blank CD to beproperly reproduced as an audio CD.

Whereas the write mode process of FIG. 10 has been described as writingaudio data to a CDR disk set in the CD drive 4, the audio data may beoutput via the digital audio interface 22.

In summary, the digital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the presentinvention is characterized by examining the copyingauthorization/inhibition information of digital audio data read out froma disk-shaped storage medium, and determining, on the basis of theexamined contents of the authorization/inhibition information, whetheror not to write the audio data to a storage section. Such arrangementscan effectively inhibit chain-like digital copying, and thus allow arecording apparatus, such a hard disk recorder, to be properly used asconsumer equipment.

When digital audio data stored on the hard disk have been written to thedisk-shaped storage medium, which is another storage means in thedigital-audio-signal recording apparatus, the recording apparatus erasesthe digital audio data from the hard disk in correspondence with theaudio data writing to the disk-shaped storage medium. Such arrangementstoo can effectively inhibit chain-like digital copying, and thus allow arecording apparatus, such a hard disk recorder, to be properly used asconsumer equipment.

Even where the hard disk has the digital audio data and subcodeinformation separately stored thereon, the present invention permitscopying or creation of an audio CD containing textual information andthe like.

Further, with the arrangement that the operation for writing, on thehard disk, digital audio data read out from a medium reading section,such as the CD drive and the operation for checking the subcodeinformation are performed primarily via the bus interface withoutintervention of the CPU, the present invention can significantly lessenthe loads on the CPU. Thus, even where an inexpensive low-speed CPU isused, the present invention permits efficient high-speed copying. As aconsequence, the present invention can provide inexpensiveconsumer-oriented recording equipment. Further, with the hard diskcapable of storing tracks (music pieces) corresponding to a plurality ofaudio CDs, the present invention allows any desired ones of the tracksto be freely combined and reproduced. As a result, thedigital-audio-signal recording apparatus of the present invention canoperate as an extremely-high-speed CD changer which requires little timefor CD replacement.

1. A digital-audio-signal recording apparatus comprising: a disk drivethat reads out data stored on a disk-shaped storage medium; a hard diskdrive that stores digital audio data, read out from the disk-shapedstorage medium, on a hard disk; and an interface control section thatwrites, on the hard disk, the digital audio data read out from thedisk-shaped storage medium only when copying authorization/inhibitioninformation read out from the disk-shaped storage medium indicates thatcopying of the digital audio data is permitted.
 2. Adigital-audio-signal recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid interface control section includes a bus interface, and anoperation for writing, on the hard disk, the digital audio data read outfrom the disk-shaped storage medium and an operation for extracting thecopying authorization/inhibition information are performed via said businterface.
 3. A digital-audio-signal recording apparatus as claimed inclaim 1 wherein said hard disk drive stores audio data of trackscorresponding to a plurality of the disk-shaped storage media, and saidinterface control section reproductively outputs the digital audio dataof the tracks from the hard disk, and which further includes amusic-piece-selection control section that selects a desired track fromamong the tracks corresponding to the plurality of the disk-shapedstorage media and designates the selected desired track as a track to bereproduced via said interface control section.
 4. A digital-audio-signalrecording apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein saidmusic-piece-selection control section includes a section that stores, asan album, a listing of tracks selected from among the trackscorresponding to the plurality of the disk-shaped storage media.
 5. Adigital-audio-signal recording apparatus comprising: a hard disk drivethat has a hard disk storing digital audio data; a write section thatwrites digital audio data on a disk-shaped storage medium; and aninterface control section that causes said write section to write thedigital audio data, stored on the hard disk, to the disk-shaped storagemedium and also erases said digital audio data stored on the hard diskin correspondence with writing of the digital audio data to thedisk-shaped storage medium.
 6. A digital-audio-signal recordingapparatus comprising: a hard disk drive that has a hard disk storingdigital audio data and subcode information; a write section that writesdata on a disk-shaped storage medium; and an interface control sectionthat reads out the digital audio data and subcode information from thehard disk and edits the read-out digital audio data and subcodeinformation into a CD-DA format, so as to supply the edited digitalaudio data and subcode information to said write section.